Folding box



Nov. 14, 1933. w, N coMLEY FOLDING BOX Fild sept. 30. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M 1m m f Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 30, 1929 Serial No. 396,260

This invention relates to folding boxes and has for an important object thereof the provision of a box of this character which,may be flatly folded in shipment and which at' the same time 5 is so constructed that the height of the sides and ends of the box may exceed one-half the width of the base thereof.

In the ordinary folding box vwhich can be fiatly shipped and in which the locking of the ends is obtained by a continuation of the end wall, the sides of the box are pasted or otherwise secured to the inner face of the end wall proper. This results in overlapping of the multiplicity of thicknesses prohibit/ing construction of the box l from boards of /anyA considerable thickness, and further, the securing means prevents the sides of the box, when in folded relation, from extending to a point where they would overlap the securing means preventing opening of such an overlap.

Accordingly, a further and more specific object of the invention is the production of a folding box wherein the sides are free from any direct connection to the inner faces of the end walls of the box.

:75 A still further object of the invention is the production of a device of this character which will lend itself to construction in various forms and which, while intended primarily for use in the construction of two part boxes, may be employed in the construction of ap cover boxes if so desired.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan ,view of a box blank constructed in accordance with my invention before folding for shipment or storage, the cover being shown 0 in position thereon;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank as folded in its shipping or storing position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing one end of the box erected and the other end partially erected;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view of the obverse of the blank of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective of a box including a hinged lid structure.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the box consists primarily of a base 10 to the ends of which are secured end flaps 11 of a length slightly greater than twice the depth of the desired box. These end flaps 11 are .55 transversely creased at 12 along a line spaced from the junction 13 of the ap with the box a distance equal to the depth of the desired box and again transversely creased at 14 at a point spaced from the line 12 a distance equal to the depth of the desired box.

To the side edges of the bottom are secured side forming flaps 15 each having at its opposite ends tabs 16, the connection between the tabs and the sides being creased at 17 to permit ready folding thereof. Tabs 16 are angularly cut upon 65 their inner faces as at 18 so that ample clearance may be provided between the inner edge of these tabs and the bottom of the box when in folded position. When it is desired that the box be covered, this is accomplished by simply applying to the outer face of the blank a sheet 19 which is adhesively secured thereto and the edges of which are folded over the free longitudinal edges of the sides 15 and side flaps 16 as indicated at 20.

In shipment the sides 15 and their side flaps are folded inwardly to lie flatly upon the inner faces of the bottomv 10 and ends 11 as more clearly indicated in Fig. 2, the continuation of the end flaps being folded to lie flatly upon the outer faces of the flaps 16 and side walls 15.

To erect the box it is simply necessary that pressure be applied to the outer faces of the creases 12, thispressure causing sides 15 to elevate, the viiaps 16 to fold inwardly and the exten- 85 sions of the end walls to overlie the open rectangular receptacle thus formed. These extensions are then forced downwardly into the box, the portions thereof lying beyond the folds 14 engaging the bottom of the box and forming holding aps generally designated at 21 while the portions between creases 12 and folds 14 lie against the inner faces of the iiap 16 to lock them into position.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that since the flaps 16 are not connected to the inner face of the end walls there are no portions of-these flaps which must fold upon themselves and the flap will always constitute a single thick-v ness in the structure of the end wall. Thus three plies occur in the end wall at the thickest points as against four plies inthe ordinary box construction of this character. Creases 17 will, of course, be so formed that the flaps 16 will tend to fold inwardly, thus facilitating the folding action of the box as above described. The longitudinal edges of the sides 15 may, if so desired, be equipped with the usual lace finishing strip not herein shown.

In Fig. 6, I have illustrated a construction wherein one side 15 has secured thereto a topforming extension 22, the free end and side edges of which are provided with closure aps 23 adapted to extend into the receptacle when erected in the usual manner.

It will be obvious that a construction of this character may be very cheaply produced and more economically transported. At the same time, the erected structure provides a box which is quite as strong as the ordinary pasted structure which must be erected and, accordingly, must be sold at a relatively high gure Attention is directed to the fact that it is immaterial that a fold of the cover material lie between the several thicknesses of the box material as this material is very thin and will not interfere with folding.

It is readily possible to produce a cover for a box of this character by simply applying a rectangular sheet 24, having a width slightly greater than the combined Widths of the body or base thereof and the side-forming flaps; and a length equal to the combined length of the base and ends.

The terminal edges may be provided with flap extensions 25, which extend out upon the extensions of the ends and serve to cover the edges thereof when the box is in folded position. Similarly, the edges of the body serve to cover the upper edges of the side walls when folded.

Since the construction is capable of a certain range of change and modification without in any manner departing from the spirit of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. As an article of commerce, an assemblage for producing an erectable box of cardboard or the like comprising a bottom and sides and ends crease-hinged to the bottom, the ends being disposed in the same general plane as the bottom, the sides flatly overlying the bottom, aps crease-hinged to the ends of the sides and flatly overlying said ends without connection thereto, said flaps each having its free end edge in angularly disposed relation to the end edge of the associated side and outwardly approaching such end edge of the side, and flaps crease-hinged to the free edges of the ends and flatly overlying the flaps of the sides, pressure upon the ends of said assemblage being transmitted to the flaps of the sides to cause said flaps to fold inwardly While sliding upon the ends and through the flaps of said sides to the sides to cause the sides to assume an erect position with relation to the bottom.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 with the addition of a cover underlying the bottom and ends and of a length substantially equal to that of the bottom and ends and a width slightly greater than the combined width of the bottom and sides, the side edges of said cover being folded against and secured to the under faces of the sides, and flaps, the cover at its ends having extensions folded about the junction of the ends and their flaps and secured to the upper faces of the end flaps, said cover being free from attachments to the outer faces of the side aps.

' WILBUR N. COMLEY. 

